TIME-bound Affairs

[pepotatoy]

Who would have thought that a dusty hat lying inside our drawer once made it to an international magazine?

The silent guy that he is, Papa Atoy rarely talks about the past. Instead, he usually asks how the day has been for his wife and children. If we inquire on his, he replies with a quick but quite puzzling “Okay lang naman.” The puzzle pieces multiply with the fact that every okay lang naman is coupled with nood tayo ng balita. Not that we complain though; with his habitual watching, Papa encourages social awareness in our family.

Beyond our home, news programs currently echo another milestone in the Philippine society. Inspired by a new government, people – young and old – are leaning towards change. Papa has been part of such trend over two decades ago. During the Marcos regime, he was actively joining rallies against dictatorship. Come again? Oh yes, this usually reserved guy does know how to speak up in critical situations. His late sister, my Aunt Norie, even used to worry for his safety. Imagine how furrowed her eyebrows were that eventful May 1, 1984. It was Labor Day and Mr. Butz Aquino, Senator Lorenzo Tañada and Senator Jose Pepe Diokno organized a boycott rally in Liwasang Bonifacio to elect a new national assembly. Papa’s sunglasses might have protected him from the sun but his then fiery red hat with an I LOVE NINOY sticker could have put him in danger. Patriotic as he has always been, he nevertheless wore the latter with pride. In his mind, everything else was in commotion until the camera lights flashed. The photographers of TIME magazine shot his picture that would later be featured in their May 14th issue. If Facebook were already around and Papa were in a relaxed state, he might have smiled. But FB was only created two decades after and the ones who are smiling now are his family, relatives and fellow Tagon-on friends. Yes. Just as he is part of our country's incredible history, so are WE.

No matter the size of a puzzle the Filipino encounters, he never quits. No matter how much puzzle pieces Papa creates, his loved ones do not get tired of putting them together. He may be a man of few words but he speaks volumes. Please let the dusty hat and the pictures speak for themselves as well...



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

And oh, the sunglasses are not the same. Now if only we can find the actual pair.

[TAGS]

Yup!that"s my uncle atoy!i think it was the first picture of a tagon-on in the Times magazine Asia:-D .If you like i'll provide for you that same model of sunglass,the yellow crispa shirt with ninoy aquino's image in front(same as in the 500 peso bill) and at back printed ....MARCOS ALIS DYAN!!!

Thanks for sharing pepotatoy.

[Alibangbang]

This is remarkable and awe-inspiring. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[BONSAL]

I agree Tags. it's probably the first image of Tagon-on to be published in a prestigous international magazine. Thank you for sharing Pepotatoy! Keep the post coming.....

[pepotatoy]

@TAGS: haha hello kuya dongskie! i asked papa and he smiled at your generosity. please do. with regards to the crispa shirt you're talking about he said it also had an I LOVE NINOY, NO WAY FOR MACOY imprint in front. thank you kuya tags!

@ALIBANGBANG: you're welcome and thank you too!

@BONSAL: you're welcome and thank you as well!

[Alibangbang]

Hi Pepotatoy,

I'm a very sentimental person. Whatever you do, hold on to those memorabilia for your papa’s great-great-great grandchildren to marvel at.

[Insomada]

Hi Pepotatoy,

Firsrt off, I thank God today is Friday which indicates a moment of lull in our office. Being such gives me the opportunity to comment on your very remarkable and historic post, which I do furtively at work. What you wrote is certainly a story that tells a story. And the picture of your Papa Atoy didn’t need words to make a story. Wow kilig gayod ako.

Your narrativ evoked a lot of memories, memories that are forever embedded in my thoughts. For me, it is a story so significant as my wedding and childbirth stories. It is a story that wouldn't tire me telling my very own children - IT IS THE STORY OF OUR FREEDOM. Honestly, while typing this, my hands tremble and emotion is rushing down in my whole system. To precisely say it Peps – I’m crying inside and out.

Secondly, I don’t know your Papa Atoy but would like to think we were born around the same era on reasons I would be mentioning later.

I was in college during the years 1980 -1984, the tumultuous time where people clamoured for change of government very much ignited by the death of Ninoy Aquino. In some instances I, along with my College best friend who’s now in Texas and will be visiting me soon, had attended rallies and other forms of resistance.There was once a time where I was walking along Recto Avenue when suddenly an army of policemen fired teargas to the crowd. Had it not been to my quick thinking that I ran fast towards a cinema and hid, I would have been one of the casualties. But the people’s risky efforts to dethrone Marcos were not in vain. Needless to say people succeeded, we succeeded. We toppled down Marcos thru a peaceful and bloodless revolution, The People Power of February 25, 1986. And I stood still and proud to say I was very much a part of it.

I am emotionally recalling the moment now when during the day of the revolution, I and my other siblings attended the morning mass at SM North Edsa. Fr. Sonny Ramirez celebrated the mass. Fr. Ramirez went extra length by begging us, the mass attendees ,to donate all the money we had in our wallets and support the soldiers in any capacity who were guarding Channels 7 & ABS CBN which were just in close proximity to where we lived at that time.

Coincidentally, my dad, a bookworm, who I thought had read almost all of Marcos’ books, and not that he was a Marcos supporter but a politician who had served our town during Marcos era was in Manila when the revolution erupted. I and my siblings dragged him to come along with us to Edsa to join the big throng of people in support of the revolution. With no qualms, my dad, not only came with us but brought plastics bags and plastic bags of sandwiches we made for the soldiers in Channel 7. My God, what a moment that was!

During Ninoy Aquino’s wake, I also was one of the millions who visited his corpse at his Times Square residence, just more than a kilometer from Project 6. It was a gut wrenching experience Peps! Yes it was!

It will take me an eternity to narrate the story and so I have to pose now. Just want to let you know as I end this, my hands are making a booming sound for your post above. Well done Peps for such a nostalgic and emotion stirring post.

Well done Peps and thanks for sharing it.

[kampanaryo_spy]

pepotatoy,

a significant piece of history shared in an excellent piece of writing! thank you for sharing.

let me say this: i so love your writing, so easy to read. here's hoping you can share your thoughts here more often.

[pepotatoy]

@ALIBANGBANG: aww, your idea's really sweet. i could almost hear their "oohs" and "aahhs." thank you po.. papa atoy (hehe a.k.a. tata montenegro) would like to know if you're ms. emma hangad? thanks again and have a nice day!

@INSOMADA: with your post so sincere, your readers could already feel the trembling of your hands. papa's delighted that you both treasure the same pursuit. uhm, he'd like to ask if you're ms. lalaine quinones? have you also developed a love for books because of your father po? thanks again and have a nice day!

@KAMPANARYO_SPY: wow. it's really an honor to receive encouraging words from a brilliant writer like you po. thanks a lot.. although i no longer go online as often as before (weekdays: work that makes me wanna sleep at the earliest possible time, weekends: outdoor activities that have the same effect on me. whew..), i have read some of your entries in this site. it's unfortunate that i get to express my admiration for you only now. i'm pleased to announce that your witty TAGO, WHERE CRAB IS NOT A MENTALITY BUT A DELICACY has reached our home. haha my brother ramboy brought one shirt from his vacation in tago. had i not visited your inspiring blog (for the first time today), i wouldn't have known. i'll try to visit the site as much as possible. thanks again and have a nice day!

[Insomada]

@INSOMADA: with your post so sincere, your readers could already feel the trembling of your hands. papa's delighted that you both treasure the same pursuit. uhm, he'd like to ask if you're ms. lalaine quinones? have you also developed a love for books because of your father po? thanks again and have a nice day!


Hi Pepotatoy,

Please tell your papa, Yes, I was Ms. Lalaine Quinonez.

Tata Montenegro is your papa, that means the late Iya Oyang was your grandma. Iya Oyang was related to my papa in the Montenegro side. His mother was a Montenegro.

Unfortunately Peps, I never inherited papa’s passion for reading. Though I read but not as voracious as he was. I felt sad as I wanted to buy him a Nelson Mandela book but never happened as he passed away in 2007.

Please tell Manong Tata, kamusta ko s’ya.

Continue posting. Like Kamps, I like your writing, lucid and elegant.

[pepotatoy]

Hi Pepotatoy,

Please tell your papa, Yes, I was Ms. Lalaine Quinonez.

Tata Montenegro is your papa, that means the late Iya Oyang was your grandma. Iya Oyang was related to my papa in the Montenegro side. His mother was a Montenegro.

Unfortunately Peps, I never inherited papa’s passion for reading. Though I read but not as voracious as he was. I felt sad as I wanted to buy him a Nelson Mandela book but never happened as he passed away in 2007.

Please tell Manong Tata, kamusta ko s’ya.

Continue posting. Like Kamps, I like your writing, lucid and elegant.

nakarating po. kamusta rin daw po. thanks again and have a nice day! looking forward to your posts as well.

[Alibangbang]

@ALIBANGBANG: aww, your idea's really sweet. i could almost hear their "oohs" and "aahhs." thank you po.. papa atoy (hehe a.k.a. tata montenegro) would like to know if you're ms. emma hangad? thanks again and have a nice day!

Hi Pepotatoy,

I have to say: Guilty as charged!

Now... If only I know who Tags is

Please tell your Papa I said hello.